Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Rather than going for total immersion in the first instance, I would be inclined to use a variation of full voting rights. Northern Ireland citizens have been appointed to the Seanad, while on one occasion someone was elected to the House.

It was a good thing. The Northern Ireland representation to the Seanad was a very good thing from their point of view and our point of view. It brought into sharp focus the existence of a different point of view, from whatever viewpoint that comes, and I think that we have much to investigate in that particular area.

Let me discuss the Irish diaspora which stretches as far away as Brazil and Argentina, through the European Union obviously, Australia, New Zealand, in particular in North America, Canada and other countries. Therefore, it would be a huge operation to provide voting rights to the diaspora. How would the diaspora receive a service in return for their votes?

I am a little worried about allowing people to change their vote on the last day or so. I do not want to be political but the provision would obviously tempt people to exploit the situation. In certain circumstances the tendency would be - and one of my colleagues used the term - to buy votes which is an old fashioned tradition in some countries.